Rubi Tirana (@TasteRubi on IG) is a café located in Tirana, Albania that specializes in specialty coffee and pink scenery. From what I understand, this café originally started as a cake shop, but has since expanded to offer a diverse range of coffee blends.
History of Rubi
Note: This is my understanding based off my poor Albanian language skills and a translation of their page here. I may have made errors.
The history of Rubi began with Ingrid, Henrik, and a question: how can food serve as a trigger for a bigger discussion?
Ingrid, who had 14 years of experience in marketing, decided to change her career path and focus on her passion for food. Her blog about food and travel, Bonvivant, encouraged her to travel solo to foreign destinations and return with many ideas and inspirations.
Henrik, a brand strategist with a background in design and a father of two daughters, was inspired by a trip to New York to create a new business model that prioritizes purpose and social impact. Together, they founded Rubi, a brand that takes the impact of purchasing decisions seriously not only for employees, customers, and partners, but also for the community and society as a whole.
Let’s talk about their new cafe – My favourite aspect:
Coffee Blends
Rubi Tirana offers a diverse range of coffee blends, with 2-3 true specialty blends available at any given time. The café takes pride in its coffee sourcing, which is made with carefully selected beans and expertly roasted to bring out their unique flavors. The café’s baristas are trained to prepare each cup of coffee with precision and care, ensuring that every customer receives a high-quality beverage.
(They’re stepping into a wonderful coffee scene in Tirana, accompanying Hana, 505Cafe, and Antigua.)
Cakes
Of course, in addition to its coffee, Rubi Tirana is also known for its delicious cakes. Swinging by their cafe to taste a cake is a great way to preview their offerings before ordering a full cake. The café offers a variety of flavors, from the Carrot Cake I tried to unique options like lavender and rose. Each cake is made with high-quality ingredients and expertly decorated, making them as visually appealing as they are delicious.
Service and Payment
Rubi Tirana offers solid service, with friendly and attentive staff members who are always willing to help. The café accepts card payments, which made it easy for me to pay. (Especially compared to many other cafes in Tirana.)
Seating and Scenery
The café’s seating is cute and comfortable, with a pink color scheme that makes it perfect for Instagram pictures. The café’s interior is stylish and modern, with a cozy and inviting atmosphere that makes it a great place to relax and enjoy a cup of coffee or a slice of cake.
Challenges of Finding Rubi
One potential downside of Rubi is that the entry can be challenging to find, as it is located in an apartment courtyard. On my first attempt at visiting, I couldn’t find it at all and gave up. On my second attempt, it took me around 15 minutes to find, and on my third attempt, the whole courtyard was locked off, so I had to wander around to figure out how to enter. Just a heads up before your visit, you need to be persistent!
I think there’s a way to enter through the street facing cake shop, but I am not 100% clear on this, as the hours seemed to differ on the doors when I visited.
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Overall, Rubi Tirana is a great café that offers a diverse range of coffee blends, delicious cakes, solid service, and a cute and Instagram-worthy interior. While the entry can be challenging, it’s well worth it once you make it inside. You’ll find yourself surrounded by excellent drinks and wonderful cake.
